Trapped
by The Emerald Shapeshifter
Summary: The story of one creature’s battle for survival and journey to freedom in an impenetrable confinement... [Takes place before, during and after Secret of the Omnitrix][Slight reference to suicide]
1. Her Story

**Trapped**

**A Ben 10 Fanfiction**

* * *

The story of one creature's battle for survival and journey to freedom in an impenetrable confinement...

About the Stinkfly alien seen in _Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix._

_I do not own Ben 10!_

* * *

**Chapter One: Prologue (Her Story)**

_There are two types of Lepidopterrans. Those, like me, are streamlined, agile, and compact. We are known as the Highest Lepidopterrans, or just the _Highest_. And then...there are our brethren. We call them the Lower Lepidopterrans, or the _Lowest_, for short. They are big, bulky, and not at all built for flight; more built for brute contact. They have poisonous stingers, but so do the Highest. Evolution took a different approach with the Lowers, making them more like...animals._

_This, of course, makes for ages-old prejudice._

_Highest have a true society, while the Lowers have none. The Highest have created some new space-age technology, and getting into the frontier is easy._

_That is, of course, cause for trouble._

_This is my story. I am Ciron. I am sixteen revolutions old, and an infamous Highest 'outlaw'. I have committed many crimes, and now I must pay the price. For now, I am trapped..._

_...trapped within the Incarcecon Prison Complex._

_All my recent adventures led to this fate. I have gambled with the worst of the worst, piloted with the best of the worst, and took part in an intergalactic bounty chase._

_But now, this is real. My mother had always taught me to be strong, but that does not matter now. She is dead. I killed her. On purpose. I guess you could call it assassination._

_I have been beaten, nearly killed time and time again, and rejected before I became a respected figure in this space-age hell..._

* * *

I already have chapter two and three done, but I'm only putting this up for now. I update really quickly. I hope everyone likes this; it's my first Ben 10 fic. It was annoying me for a while at school so I started it there.


	2. Dangerous Meetings

**Trapped**

**Chapter Two: Dangerous Meetings**

I was roughly thrown to the cold metal floor, my legs buckling underneath me. I turned my eyes to see two robotic guards behind me. They stood there, analyzing information given to them about the prisoner. Me.

I slowly stood up.

"_Ciron,"_ one said. _"Age: 16 revolutions. Gender: Female. Species: Lepidopterran, of the Highest. Home World: Lepidopterra Relations: None."_

That meant my parents were dead, I guessed. I had never known my father. And I had no other relatives...

"_Sentenced to life on Incarcecon for violations on space-waged war,"_ I laughed a bit as this was said, recalling the incident... _"illegal possession of Hetron,"_ Hetron was an explosive chemical, I had gambled it off of someone... _"assassination of the Highest Queen on Lepidopterra—numerous other charges, severe of nature..."_

What, did they want to remind me of all my past failures?

The room was dark that we were in, so dark, no creature known could see in it. The creators of this complex had made this room to be that way. Not even a Vulpimancer could see anything in here...

A burst of electricity flew through my body, causing me to cry out from pain. I fell back down to the floor.

"_Proceed forward,"_ came the metallic voice.

I shakily stood up and did as they commanded.

The hallways began to get lighter. Oh, I so desperately wanted to fly! But I could not. My wings were numbed.

A large metal door opened; it must've been three feet thick. As light poured out from the other side, my vision adjusted.

Hundreds of thousands of aliens were amassed below. I was standing on a balcony, far above, looking down. A hush fell over the aliens and they all looked up, piercing through me like knives.

_Bzzt!_

Another jolt of electricity seared through me, causing my muscles to react and spring me off the balcony. The large metal door slammed shut.

To my luck, my wings appeared to be working, and I hovered a few feet above the aliens' heads. "What, no one call?" I shouted mockingly.

I scanned the crowd, avoiding eye contact. I saw a Tetramand, and a Pisccis Volann. I saw a Youlan, a Typhind, and I even saw the very rare Galvanic Mechomorph.

A shot was fired from somewhere while I wasn't looking, forcing me to the ground. That's the third time I've been shocked like that today. I don't like that.

I turned, and came face-to-face with the Galvanic Mechomorph. Even though they never show emotion, one can tell... The Mechomorph's eye was glowing a furious red instead of the calming white, and it stood over me.


	3. Respect

**Trapped**

**Chapter Three: Respect**

A few days later, I woke up in the night to feel something small on my back, chewing on my wings.

I flew into the air, desperately trying to get this thing off. It then flew off my back, and never came back. This place was dangerous, and because of the 'No Rules' thing, you could kill someone in here and not even get a second sentence.

Although, what could be worse than life on Incarcecon?

I looked around. Dead black everywhere. Suddenly, a few dim white lines began to come to attention. I could not see from what they were coming from, and then they moved. Gamma.

He seemed to smile. "I see you are awake. Have you thought?"

"About what?" I whispered.

He chuckled, a vaguely robotic sound. "You know what. I can tell."

"Stop being all mysterious like this!" I yelled, probably waking up many aliens.

"It is how I am," was the ominous answer. "Why do you think I am in here?"

"What did you do?" I flew closer, landing near him.

"Ah, you are curious." If he could, he would have smiled. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "I have, many times, caused chaos on the technological center of the galaxy, Galvan Prime. I have shut down the main power core, and other severe felonies. Since I could not be killed, they sent me here. But I have no regrets."

"Neither do I," I stated coldly. "She deserved to die."

"Who?"

"My mother," I said. "I killed her. _Assassinated_. I don't care."

"Cold for one so young," Gamma stated. "I do not understand the concept of relations, for I was not 'born' as you were."

I glanced at him.

"That is a secret of my race, and the Galvans, our true creators," he said blankly.

I snorted.

"Hush," he commanded sharply.

"Don't tell me what to do, you blob of metal," I snapped. "You're not the boss of me."

With that, I flew off. Again.

* * *

"Damn it!" I cursed aloud, but to myself. "Why does he have to know everything?"

I looked over the railing that had sent most aliens here to their deaths. There must be hundreds of bodies down there. I thought of letting myself stop moving, and fall over the edge, finally escaping. But I wasn't going that far. _Ciron does not kill herself like that,_ I thought.

I stepped back from the edge, and began flying. I stared at the dozens of aliens below, all looking up at me as I flew overhead. I did not care about them.

I finally landed after a long time, and after a few 'accidental' meetings with Gamma. He seemed to be everywhere I was. He just merely chuckled and walked away as I got mad at him. He seemed to be the calm type, so I could only wonder how a guy like him could be evil enough to be in Incarcecon.

Then, some alien—a Tetramand, I think—suddenly came up to me and grabbed me by the neck. "You fight, yes?" he asked in rough tongue.

I didn't even realize I was nodding.

"Good!" He then threw me into a circle of aliens. The attack was so sudden. I was fighting a Pyronite. This would not be good.

The fire alien let out a cry in his own language, something I could not understand. He then held out his hands, an inferno pouring out towards me. I took to the air, flying down and slamming into him. Ciron does not back down from a fight, no matter who the opponent is.

"You can't win!" I shouted.

I shot the slime my species created naturally from my eyes, hitting the Pyronite in the face. The slime was flammable, and exploded in his face. He flew backwards, stumbling over the edge and falling into oblivion.

An alien with a computerized face and a _huge_ smile came up to me. It merely nodded, acknowledging me. Barely.

I looked to my side to see an alien with a long tongue. The tongue was waving in the air, at nothing in particular. Then, my eyes fell on that cursed Mechomorph again. He seemed to grin, but it was hard to tell when he had no mouth.

_Why can't he get a life?_ I shouted to myself.

Speaking of lives...have I mentioned I hate mine? Just thought I'd throw that in.

* * *

"You think you know everything," I said to Gamma. He merely looked over at me as I approached, walking instead of flying. "But you don't. You don't know how we can escape, you don't know anything about me, you know zilch! You're a freak. A fucking _freak_!!"

"Whatever you think," he said ominously.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's your opinion what I do and do not know. Therefore, you know nothing about me, so you should not be criticizing me."

Wow. Couldn't argue with that logic. But I did, as it was in my blood.

"Freak," I spat.

He looked up at me. "Weakling."

I blinked. All four eyes. _Did he just call me a weakling?_

I turned back to him. He was gone, combining with the wall of the place and vanishing from my sight.

I slowly sat down as the lights faded in the huge room signaling night, even though it was hard to tell night from day in an outer space prison.

I told myself that many creatures must have gone _**mad**_ in this place. I did not intend to.

* * *

Escape.

That word continually rang in my ears. I wanted to get out badly, but from what I've heard about Incarcecon, it was impossible to get out of—or in.

A new prisoner was thrown in—a Tetramand. He landed right on top of me, and being 8oo pounds, it nearly crushed me. I didn't like being crushed.

I grabbed one of his upper arms and flung him far from me, slamming him into the wall. "Stay away from me!" I screamed.

He got up and charged at me. I flew up into the air, higher than his short, stubby arms could reach, and flew down, crashing into his head, sending him to his knees. He tried another attempt at me, but I grabbed his upper arm and flung him around like a limp rag. Who ever said my species wasn't strong?

The Tetramand slowly got up, then just growled at me and sauntered off.

I suddenly heard an odd sound. It sounded like metal slapping something over and over. Turning a pair of my eyes backwards, then my whole body, I saw it was Gamma. He was casually clapping, nodding his head. Then, a few aliens joined in, then almost all of them near me began to applaud. I did not know what for. Then, one spoke up, but softly.

"She took down a Tetramand," was the whispered voice.

"And a female nonetheless!" another harsh voice whispered.

"How?"

I stood in front of them. "That's what you get for messing with Ciron, rouge outlaw of the Highest Lepidopterrans!" I pointed to the Tetramand, who was tending to an injured arm. I did not feel any regret as he glared at me.

"She can help us escape!" one alien piped up in a whispery voice trying to yell.

It was an Ectonurite. It actually had a sun-resistant covering, which only the most powerful Ectonurites had. I wondered why it was in here.

"We have been trying to escape for years. They took the best of our abilities. They took away my ability to phase through objects and possess others." It grabbed its head. "I'd rather go to Pyros! I'm going insane!!"

"They took my ability to clone!" another shouted. I didn't know what species it was. It seemed to have a black hat with its two ears sticking out of the side, with a fin on top. It had a black and red-ish suit. Three pink dots were on its forehead. "Without that I'm nothing!"

"I can no longer control machinery," Gamma said quietly.

"My only true ability!" a callous voice shouted. It belonged to a mummy-like alien. It held up its hands sadly; obviously, its only true ability had been stolen.

A squeaky voice sounded; it came from a black and white blob-like creature. It had three eyes, two antennae, with white...goo...for the body and black stripes over its eyes to make them look like Earthling tadpoles. It said something, then sagged sadly into the metal shell that held its soft body up.

"This is just cruel!" a Pisccis Volann shouted.

Almost everyone had something taken from them that would normally allow them to escape. "And you?" one asked me. "What did they steal unrightfully from you?"

I smiled vaguely. "Just my will to survive. Truly, now, I'd rather die.

That sent them all into a outburst. Some creatures actually agreed with me.

"But we can yet escape," Gamma announced. "Try to find a way out. All of us must work together...or else."

"Who's in?" I shouted, startling Gamma.

The aliens were now murmuring amongst themselves. Then, they all shouted, "_Aye_!!"

I smiled. "Well, Gamma, what's the plan?"

All heads—or whatever other aliens had—turned to the Mechomorph. He seemed to smile. "So you finally accept my ideas?"

I nodded.

"Very well... here's the plan..."


	4. Failed Attempts?

**Trapped**

**Chapter Four: Failed Attempts?**

* * *

This is actually turning out good, aside from no reveiws. It's nothing like my other works. :D

* * *

The plan he demonstrated for us would take time—good thing I was the least bit patient, if anything else. It would require all of the aliens in the prison, probably most of them. 

I saw a Vulpinic Vorare fly by (the giant dog/squid aliens seen in the Null Void). It carried several alien on its back and with its tentacles to another section of the prison hold. Probably Section B. That's where the muscular aliens were told to assemble.

The greatest of all criminals were now gathering together to escape this hell hole.

All the inmates would fight. Yes, fight. The only thing we could ever do right was the wrong thing, but it might help us escape. I just wanted to go home.

...Damn, I'm such a sap!

* * *

Gamma approached me a few hours later. "Have you ever heard of the Omnitrix, my dear?" 

"Don't call me that," I snapped, crossing my arms. "The Omnitrix, you say? Yes, I've heard of it. Is it real, though, is my question to you."

"And my answer is yes," he answered.

I looked at him.

"Oh, I remember that day evenly," he muttered. "A small creature, a Galvan, came up to me. He was of my brother species, so I actually paid him some mind.

"'I've built a machine that could end wars around the galaxy, my friend, but I must request your assistance, Gamma,' he said. He was relatively old. His eyes pierced through me. 'You are a Galvanic Mechomorph,' he said. Then, he said, 'Provide your DNA to a worthy cause?'

"I had no damn clue what he was talking about," Gamma went on, his fists clenching. "He tricked me. He showed me to a room. In the middle of the room was a watch, clasped with a heavy-duty metal clamp, for some odd reason. The Galvan stayed a bit back, but urged me on. _Is he afraid of his own creation?_ I asked myself. He told me to touch it, then leave the way I came as quickly as I could."

I was interested by his story by now. Several other aliens were gathering as well, knowing by now that if Gamma had something to say like this, it must be worthwhile to hear.

"I did. I laid a hand on that...that demon machine..." Gamma said. "It flashed yellow, and a silhouette that looked like me appeared. The watch actually moved inside the metal clamp; it writhed like a newborn, and tried to open up. The Galvan grew anxious. 'Leave, immediately! You've done your job now; leave the rest to the Omnitrix!'"

The aliens gathered murmured some things amongst themselves.

"I was literally thrown out and flown in a special vehicle back to Galvan B," Gamma told us, almost talking to himself. "The Galvan was up to something, I knew, with that...Omnitrix...of his... I decided to return to Galvan Prime to investigate, but the Galvan I was looking for—and his whole lab—was gone. Vanished. As if it had been vaporized.

"The Omnitrix must be destroyed," Gamma suddenly said, evilly. His lone eye turned red. "That's what I wanted. My DNA went into that thing, and whoever wields it has their DNA rewritten to be exactly like mine. _They can turn into me! Would you want your very soul and essence owned by another being???_" He was practically yelling now, at me. I stayed so calm, and I didn't move an inch.

Gamma straightened. "I am sorry. I couldn't control myself. I apologize."

"A very moving story, but what does this have to do with us?" I asked.

He turned to look at me as if he never knew I was there. "We escape, and find the Omnitrix."

A roar of protest emitted from the crowd of aliens. One yelled, "Why do we have to do what you tell us?"

"You're not the boss of us!"

"You stupid, good-for-nothing _machine_! Machines are the reason most of us are here!"

"Why should we trust you?"

"Freak!"

"Talk to your girlfriend! No one cares anymore."

All the aliens quickly scattered.

"I am not his girlfriend!!" I shouted indignantly.

Gamma looked at me silently. His lone eye returned to white.

Suddenly, the same Ectonurite we had met earlier floated up to us. "I've given up, sir Gamma. I an honorable, but I must forfeit the mission. I am sorry." Then, he paused. "If you cannot find the Omnitrix, be patient as an Ectonurite; it shall come to you."

He then flew over to the drop off point, where most aliens had died by jumping over. He grabbed those deadly rails, and threw himself over.

The whole prison complex, a complete five miles of metal in space, was filled with an ear-splitting scream and a sickening thud.

Gamma nodded to himself, soundless. He then turned to me. I could tell he was smiling.

"What?" I demanded. "We just saw an alien kill himself; commit suicide. What are you happy about?"

He just walked away. "My plan is working perfectly," he called over his shoulder, quietly.


	5. The Omnitrix

**Trapped**

**Chapter Five: The Omnitrix**

* * *

**_I DON'T OWN BEN 10!_**

* * *

"Plan?" I bounded after him. "What plan? You had a perfect plan until everyone turned against you."

He shushed me. "That is all part of my plan. Do you think I care about anyone else? I had this plan forever, but I needed someone to convince them all to start it."

"Me," I realized.

"Yes. And now, you and I can try and escape."

"How?" I demanded. "And why do you want to free me? Why do you care?"

He didn't answer; he only chuckled.

Then, my life changed forever.

A green flash of light attracted my attention. "I'm gonna chew you up and spit you out!" a rough voice shouted. Both Gamma and I turned.

I saw a small alien run past—a Gourmand. He was green, and his outfit was black and white. What kind of alien wore something like that? And what was that little plate on his hand?

_It can't be..._

The Gourmand stopped running, four thin tongues shooting out of its mouth to wrap around some alien's jetpack. He tore it off the alien's back and ate it whole—without chewing!—and ran towards an unseen alien. Who was he after? I followed him; discreetly, of course. Gamma went in another direction, seemingly uncaring about the disruption in this world.

I got far in front of the Gourmand so I could see.

He jumped onto a tube, and spat a glob of acid into the air. It flew towards the far side of the room, and exploded in the face of a cloaked figure. I never noticed him before.

The Gourmand continued to shoot globs of acid at that same cloaked figure while running along the pipe, until the cloak fell off. The alien was a female Chimera Sui Generis. She preformed lithe jumps and backflips to avoid getting hit.

The Gourmand emerged from the green smoke. I didn't see what happened next, but now, the Gourmand was being held up by the tail. I got closer so I could hear.

"What are you doing?" the Chimera Sui Generis demanded.

"Hey!" the Gourmand exclaimed. He was now spinning around slowly by the tail as he tried to look at the alien holding him. "That voice!—You're not Vilgax—you're a _girl_!"

_Vilgax?_ I thought, recalling the alien warlord I had actually worked for once. _What's he got to do with this?_

"I noticed," the female said sarcastically. She then kicked the little green guy, sending him flying. I followed.

A beeping sound emerged from that little disk on his paw...and with a marvelous explosion of red light, he transformed...into a human! It was a young male, with brown hair and a white and black shirt. He had a big watch on his wrist, one that was oddly familiar.

_No..._ I thought. _It can't be..._

A red-haired female ran up to the boy, helping him stand.

"He turned into a human!" a Pisccis Volann said, turning. "But how?"

It all made sense. I flew over to them, staring at the watch on his wrist. "The _Omnitrix_!" I shouted. "He's wearing the _Omnitrix_!"

Everyone turned. He was indeed wearing the Omnitrix. Now, everyone in Incarcecon came forth—we all wanted that watch!

"It does exist!" one alien said.

"That's our ticket outta here!"

"The Omnitrix; he's got it!"

"I think we're in trouble..." the boy said to the girl, both of them backing away as we grew nearer. The girl responded, but I didn't understand. Something about a mall...

The boy was messing with the Omnitrix; every time he tapped the side button made me mad. I deserved that watch!

"Looks like we're on our own," he told the female.

"I was afraid you were going to say that," was her response.

They backed up further before the girl ran over to the far wall, tearing out a small metal pipe, brandishing it like a sword. I was so close to laughing. The boy kneeled down, doing a similar action by ripping a stubby pipe from a groove in the floor. He held it out in front of him, as if he could protect himself with it.

"Careful," one stout alien warned. "With that thing on his wrist, he can become any one of us he wants."

"Yeah," a long-necked alien said uncertainly, "but if he knew how to control it, he would have used it by now."

I couldn't take any more of standing around. "Gimme that thing!" I shouted, shooting forward.

Those humans were tough, I'll give them credit. That one small blow from the girl's pipe was enough to knock me aside and knock me out.

* * *

I woke up to see orange electricity flashing around the Omnitrix, the boy and everyone around him knocked unconscious. Then, the girl and an armored figure ran up to the boy. I saw Gamma kneeling not a far ways off, rubbing his head.

Soon, a ship appeared, docking at the ledge that caused most aliens to die. But not today! Today, it shall be my freedom!! I flew over slowly.

The armored figure picked up the boy and ran, followed by the girl. They jumped nimbly into the ship, followed by several aliens that could make that jump. One of them was Gamma. I did not care. He was gone from me. I saw the Chimera Sui Generis jump onto the ship as well.

"_YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO BE IN THIS MAXIMUM SECURITY AREA,"_ a mechanical voice shouted over the intercom. _"EXIT NOW OR YOUR SHIP WILL BE DESTROYED."_

The armored figure punched and whacked at the aliens to get them off his ship. As the ship flew away, I followed, as well as a bunch of robot security drones.

I saw the armored figure ready to punch the Chimera Sui Generis, but something from the boy stopped him. He then helped her up, finally noticing me, as well as the drones.

"You're not leaving without me!" I shouted.

I flew faster, but the armored figure's hands grabbed both of my arms, stopping me. He held me over the side.

"Ben! He shouted to the human boy. "The hatch!"

A red laser shot blasted into the cargo bay. "We're going to be blown to bits!" the Chimera Sui Generis shouted nervously.

The human boy said something inaudible.

Finally, another shot was fired, and the armored figure turned me around. The laser blast hit me in the back, sending me flying...straight into one of the robot drones.

* * *

To those that read this... Tell me if the scene from the movie is right. I typed this part while watching it.

**_I DON'T OWN BEN 10!_**


	6. Return to Lepidopterra

**Trapped**

**Chapter Six: Return to Lepidopterra**

I groaned and sat up. A bump awakened me. I was in the back of a vehicle, probably traveling through outer space. I looked at the heavy-duty chains that connected me to the wall of the hold.

A faint white light attracted my attention again, as they did a few cycles ago.

Gamma.

"Gamma?"

His head shot up and stared at me, emotionless. In the time I knew him, I could read his emotions.

"You're awake. Good." He looked back down. "I was afraid I was going to have to leave you here."

"I don't understand. Where are we going?"

He sighed before answering—an oddly computerized sound. "To the Space-Age Center for Criminal Rehabilitation. There, we will be put to sleep."

"The hell?" I screamed, jumping up. That was a bad move, as a sweep of dizziness swept over me. I fell down; or, rather, was pulled down by Gamma.

"Easy now. You took a hard hit from the crash. Nearly killed you. Better safe than sorry, the authorities said. They took you anyways and away we went."

"How many..." I let the question trail off.

"All the aliens involved in what they called the Great Escape are being carted to the same exact place we are. There, we will all be killed slowly, like animals."

I growled. "Is there a way out?"

"Indeed. No machine can hold out a Galvanic Mechomorph." His lone eye began to glow brighter white, and a plasma beam destroyed the chains restraining me. The cuffs—and a short proportion of the chains—remained on my arms, legs, and neck.

"Step back," he warned.

He let out another plasma beam, and another and another, before the metal walls finally gave up and surrendered, bursting out and allowing the vacuum of space to take the air away.

We were floating in space. He was lucky I could breathe in space. We both turned to watch the remains of the ship—and its robotic pilots—blow up in space, lighting the darkness it was.

"I am humbly returning to Galvan B and Prime," he announced, turning his back to me. "It's been nice to meet you, Princess Ciron."

"How did you—" I started.

"I know everything about you, Ciron. I am a Mechomorph. It's how we are."

"Freak," I said dryly, but halfheartedly. I smiled.

He laughed sarcastically, turning around to face me again. He held out his hand. "On Earth, a planet I have been to often, this is a sign of appreciation and respect," he told me, grabbing my hand and shaking it up and down. "I respect you more than anyone, and I appreciate that you gave me a second chance in life."

"What do you mean?" He started to fly off. "Wait! Will I ever see you again?"

He turned back to me one last time, before uttering one faint word.

"Maybe."

"But I'll die out here!" I protested, even though I knew it probably wasn't true.

"You'll survive. You are resilient."

And he sped off, faster than I could follow.

"You jerk!" I shouted after him, my voice echoing through space. "Leave me out here to perish while you go out with your own selfish desires! Just like—"

I froze at this. "Just like what I did to mom..."

The voice of what Gamma would say now echoed through my head. _"Ah, now we're getting somewhere, my dear."_

I shook my head. The memory of him was to be forgotten. Nothing more.

I saw a familiar ship pass by slowly. They stopped as they saw me.

"Miss, are you alright?" a Lepidopterran asked, stepping out of the ship.

I took on the lost little girl act and shook my head no. "Come on, get in," he urged, pulling me inside.

This was one of the newer ships on Lepidopterra's craze to explore the cosmos, I thought.

"How in the universe did you get out in space?" another Lepidopterran asked, turning from the controls.

"I don't remember..." I said.

They shrugged it off. A few hours later, we arrived in a docking bay not far from the Royal Hive. It's like a palace.

I discreetly exited the ship. The crewmen would probably alert the authorities of me, but I would not be there for questioning. No, I had more important things to do.

* * *

"Why should I care about the problems of the Lowest?" I heard a voice thunder through the halls of the Royal Hive. "If this disease is as bad as you say, then the Lowest will be eradicated in a few cycle progressions." 

It was my father.

"B-But Your Majesty—" an uncertain voice said.

I peeked around the door to the Royal Chamber. There he was. My father. Using the 'I Can Kill You' voice I had hear him use ever since I had murdered my mother. Two other Lepidopterrans were on the ground, cowering in fear.

"The Lowest have feelings as well, sir!" one of them said, showing remarkable courage. "We can't just sit around and do nothing while a disease kills off our pre-evolved brethren!"

"You dare to call those creatures brethren in my hive?" my father thundered. "You dare to defile the rules I have so nimbly placed since the death of the Queen?" He flew into the air, ready to strike at them. Murders like this from the king were not uncommon.

I quickly flew into the room, grabbing both of his arms with amazing speed (if I do say so myself) and threw him aside, using all my strength to slam him into the wall. He slowly picked himself up, and noticing me, his anger melted away to disbelief.

"Ciron..." he whispered, coming forth. I backed further away, standing in front of the two Lepidopterrans he was about to execute, ready to defend them with my life. "How—how can you be here? You were sentenced to life on Incarcecon. Do not tell me they let you out this early for good conduct!"

I shook my head. "They didn't."

"Didn't?"

"Couldn't."

"_Couldn't?_"

I nodded again.

"You...escaped?"

I nodded. There was no use in lying.

"I will except all punishment for my actions regarding the escape...as long as it doesn't include Incarcecon," I said simply.

"Why did you do this?? Now I will have the Galactic Enforcers and Authorities on my back for the rest of my life! How could you do this?"

"Cut the drama, dad," I snapped. "You know as well as I do that yelling won't do you any good. You never could control that temper, could you?" I wagged one of my fingers at this. "Tsk, tsk, father." I glared. "End this. End this crap with the Lowest versus the Highest. It's unnecessary. Not to mention stupid."

My father stepped back. "What say do you have? This is my planet. My empire. You are a banished princess."

"Dad, cut the crap and let me finish. As I was saying, Incarcecon did me no good. In fact, it has indeed made me stronger—I have been one of the first to escape...alive."

"One of the first?"

I lowered my head. "I lost a good friend there."

"A friend?"

"What are you talking about?" a mechanic voice asked, making my heart jump in joy. "I am right here."

I spun around to see Gamma. He was being held by two guards. They had his hands behind his back, tightly restrained. A wooden brace was around his neck, so he couldn't escape using technology. The wood was a natural de-amplifier for machinery.

"Gamma!" I flew over to his, blowing past my dad. "What—what are you doing here? I thought you were going to Galvan B?"

He shook his head. "I was shunned by my own world. So I decided to come here and see how things were going with you and..." He glanced up at my father. "...him."

"This is your friend?" my father asked as the guards released Gamma, seeing I knew him well and he knew me. The neck brace remained.

"Yes," I said blatantly.

"You made a friend on Incarcecon? A factual friend?"

"Yes..."

"Your first friend?"

"If I may interject, she already said we were acquaintances," Gamma said, stepping forward to face my father in the eye. "If that is a problem, we will leave."

"Leave!" was my father's response. "I don't care! I don't want two felons, escaped from Incarcecon, living under my roof." He looked at me with pure hatred. "Especially a murderer."

"Well," I said, glaring back equally, "if you want us to leave, you're going to have to fight me."

"Fight you? Why would I fight my own daughter?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought I was a murderer?"

He growled. "Don't sass me, young lady. I will not fight you alone."

A plasma blast ricocheted off his back, causing him to fall forward. Gamma glared at him, his one eye glowing red.

"Then fight us both," he suggested in an icy tone.

It had become a double fight now. This was treachery of the highest order on Lepidopterra, but treachery was my forte. I knew it well.

"Two against one?" my father's thunderous voice asked as he flew into the air. "I guess this is what outlaws call 'fair'."

"We are not outlaws, sir," Gamma said fiercely. "We are merely creatures spurned by our own kind, and we do not take kindly to rejection."

He shot another beam of plasma as I used my natural abilities and slammed into my father's body with my own, sending him across the room. The Lepidopterrans he had been screaming at were now cowering near the door, afraid of the rouge princess and malevolent Mechomorph that were now threatening their lives.

"You kill my people mercilessly!" I shouted in white anger, ramming into him. "You deserve the same fate!"

"You've killed people before," my father show back. Gamma took the hint and stepped out of the fight.

"Well, unlike you, I've learned a lesson," I shot back. "I have been rehabilitated, as well as Gamma. I see us fit to rule Lepidopterra."

"Rule? My world? You must be joking?"

I slammed into him again, as Gamma shot another, more powerful, plasma blast. The open roof of the throne room proved useful now, and my father was thrown out of it.

He was no longer a part of the Royal Hive.

I stepped to the guards blocking the exit. "Any objections?"

They shook their heads anxiously.

"Gonna turn me over to the Galactic Enforcers and return me to Incarcecon?"

They shook their heads again.

"Good." I walked slowly over to the throne and sat in it, sighing. Gamma approached and bowed.

"Your Highness," he said humbly.

"Gamma, we're friends. You don't need to do that."

"I know. I want to."

We smiled at each other. "Gamma, I'm assigning you the duty of militia officer, if that's okay with you. I trust you enough for you to protect my world."

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said. "I mean—Ciron...my dear."

I smiled again. "I need to tell you something, Gamma."

"Oh?"

"The boy, with the Omnitrix...let him use it. He seems to be using it for good; your DNA will not go to waste. He might even upgrade it. Give him a chance. One day, perhaps, we'll meet him."

"If he is using my DNA for good, I see no objection in him using the Omnitrix," Gamma answered. "My old hatred for the watch has died, but not my hatred for the Galvan creator." He turned back towards me. "But the boy is good. The Omnitrix was made to be a peace maker for the universe, and so there is hope for us yet.

"That may be," I said, nodding slowly with my eyes closed. "That may be..."

"But my Queen!" one of the guards objected, catching my attention. "He is a Galvanic Mechomorph! He can't be trusted with such a high position of responsibility!"

I decided to be lenient. "I trust him more than anyone on this planet. He has helped me countless times, and has taught me a valuable lesson. Many of them."

Gamma smiled. "That's all I'm here for."

As he walked off, and one of the guards took off his neck brace, I caught the hidden meaning in his last words.

Could he have been on Incarcecon...just for me?

...Nah!...

_Maybe?_


End file.
